Rail joint



C. TROUP RAIL JOINT Aug. 16, 1927.

Filed July 24, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet l C. TROUP RAIL JOINT Aug. 16, 1927.

Filed July 24, 1926 1 ESheets-Sheet 2 1,639,620 c. TROUP RAIL JOINT Filed July 24, 1926 s Sheets-Sheet s nvemto'o 6. Trau o.

tate the replacement of the rails before the maticall Patented Aug. 16, 1927.

PATENTWOFFICE.

' UNITED "STATES CHARLES 'rnour, or warsmu, ILLINOIS.

nan. JOIN'L- Application filed m 24, 1920. Serial 1%. 124,628.

This invention relates to an improvedv rail joint and seeks, among other objects, to provide a chair wherein the usual clicking sound produced by the passage of the wheels of is rolling stock over the joint will be eliminated.

The invention seeks, as a further ob'ect,

to provide a ri id and securejoint w ich Wlll overcome t e premature battering or wear of the rail ends such as would necessiintermediate portions of the rails have'become worn.

A further object of the invention is to only be applicable for use on surface railways but will also be equally applicable for use on elevated railways.

Other objects of the invention not specifically mentioned in the foregoing will appear during the course of the following description.

In the accompanyingdrawings:

Figure 1 is a plan View of my improved rail joint.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the joint.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view through the joint.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view on the line 44 of Figure 3, looking in, the

direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure '5 is a transverse sectional view show-mg a slight modification of the invention wherein the rail ends are insulated with respect to each other.

Figure 6 is a plan view showin a further modification embodying an insulated joint wherein bolts are employed in connection with the joint.

Figure. 7 is a transverse sectional view through the joint of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a detail sectional view on the line 88 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary elevation showingg'a modified form of clamping plate.

eferring now more part1cularly to Figures' 1 to 4 inclusive of the drawings, I employ a flat base 10 to receive the rail ends,

' conventionally. illustrated at 11, and formed on the' base adjacent oneside edge thereof is a side plate 12 while'at its opposite side edge the base is provided with an upstandbase 10, and confin in flange 13. As shown in Figure 4, the

si e plate 12 is shaped to snugly overlie the base flanges of the rail ends and is formed at its upper edge to fit beneath the treads of the rail ends abutting thereagainst. Formed on the side plate 12' are pairs of s aced lugs 14, and tightly engaged 1n suitab e openings in the rail webs are studs 15 having squared. heads 16 which are received between the lugs of said pairs of lugs to coact the with for limiting the rail ends against end ise movement relative to the chair structure.

Resting against the base flanges of the mil ends opposite the side plate 12 is a clamping plate 17 which is formed at its lower edge with a laterally projecting somewhat V-shaped lug l8, .and formed on said plate at its inner side is a longitudinally extending rib 19 which, as seen in Figure 4, snugly fits beneath the treads of the rail ends. Above the rib 19, the clamping plate is reducedv in thickness to provide clearance between the upper margin of said plate and sald treads, while, as shown in Figure 2, the plate is provided with a curved upper edge 20, the ends of which lie below the upper surfaces of the treads of the rail ends while the crown of said edge is disposed slightly above said surface. Accordingly, as the wheels of rolling stock travel along the rails, said wheels will, upon reaching the rail ends, climb the curved upper edge of the clamping plate so that the usual clicking sound which would otherwise occur atthe meeting ends of the rails will be mini mized.

Slidable upon the base 10 to coact with the lug 18 of the clamping plate 17 is an elongated clamping block 21 which, as shown in Figure 3, is provided at its inner edge with a V-shaped cavity 22-to accommodate said lu'g, while the outer edge of the block is cut away to provide an inclined serrated face 23 overhanging which is a flange 24. Formed in the block near the ends thereof are slots 25 which freely accommodate bolts 26 slidably connectin the block with the beneath the flange 24 of the block to abut the flange 13 of the base 10 is a wedge 27 the inner in- ,clined edge of which is serrated to coact of the clamping plate will be caused to ride up the corresponding wall of the cavity 22.

of the block 21 for taking up such looseness and maintaining the joint tight and rigid at all times.

In Figure 5 of the drawings I have illustrated a slight modification of the invention embodying an insulated joint. "Embracing the side margins of the base flanges of the rail ends 11 are strips 28 of suitable insulating material and fitting-over the heads 16 of the studs 15 are insulating caps 29. Disposed between the upper edge of the side plate 12 and the treads of the rail ends is an insulating strip 30, and lying between said treads and the clamping plate 17 is an insulating strip 31. Thus, the parts are electrically insulated effectually with respectto the rail ends.

InFigures 6, 7 and 8 of the drawings, l have illustrated a further modification of the invention wherein'bolts are emplo ed in connection with the joint. The insulate *ing strips 28, 30 and 31 are utilized, as in the prior embodiment of the invention. However, the lugs 14 and studs 15, illustrated and described. in connection with the preferred construction, are eliminated, and in lieuthereof bolts 32 are employed, these bolts extending freely through the usual openings in the rail ends. Formed in the side plate 17 to accommodate said bolts are elongated openings in which are fitted i'nsulating bushings 33 having end flanges 34 to overlie the outer side face of said plate,

'and fitting in said bushings are metallic liners which freely receive the bolts there- -As best seen in Figure 7, the bolts carry through so that the plate may shift endwise relative to, said bolts. The plate 12, however, is provided with circular openings in which are fitted annular insulating bushings 36, and, as will be observed, the bolts 32 are snugly received through said bushings so that the bolts cannot move with the plate 17 washers 37. and screwed on the bolts are' nuts 38 which may be adjusted for tightly binding the rail ends betweenthe plates 12 and 17. At the same time, the bolts are electrically insulated with respect to said plates while the plates are electrically insulated with respect to the rail ends. Disposed between the rail ends is an insulating spacer 39 which is shaped to conform to the shape of the rail ends and is adapted to prevent possible engagement of the rail ends.

In Figure 9 .of the drawings, I have illustrated a modified form of clamping plate which is .intended 'for use in any instance where bolts are employed in connection with the joint, as in "Figures 6, .7 and 8.o f the drawings, but wherein insulation is not used, The clamping" plate, indicated at 17', is pro-' vided with a suitable number of elongated openings 40 to? receive the joint bolts like the bolts 32, so that the. plate may shift endwise' relative to said bolts. Otherwise, the clamping plate of Figure 9 is identical with the clamping plate of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what i[ claim is:

1. A rail joint includin a base to receive meeting rail ends and having a fixed side plate to overlie the rail ends at corresponding sides thereof, a clamping plate to overlie the rail ends at their opposite corres )onding sides and provided with a substantially V-shaped lug, a clamping block slid ably connected with the base and having a substantially V-shaped cavity to accommodate said lug, and a wedge to coact with the block for advancing the block and clamping the rail ends between said plates.

2. A rail y'oint including a base to receive meeting rai ends and having a fixed side plate to overlie the rail ends at corresponding sides'thereof, a clamping plate to overlie the rail ends at their opposite corresponding sides, and means including a clamping block for binding the rail ends between said plates, the clamping plate being shiftable' relative to the block and the block and said clamping plate being provided With coacting means for advancing the clamping plate when shifted. p In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CHARLES 'TR'OUP. a 8.] 

